French freight transport and logistics group Mendy has launched a weekly rail freight service from its multi-modal terminal in Hendaye, near Bayonne, on the France-Spain border, to Lyon, transporting supplies for a major infrastructure project near the city.
Traction for the service is provided by Fret SNCF. The Basque country firm also plans to operate new rail freight routes from Hendaye-Bayonne to western France, including Rennes, in Brittany, but no further details have been disclosed.
“In Villeurbanne (in the suburbs of Lyon), work on the future T6 North tramway has been underway since last year. To facilitate the delivery of building materials, Mendy’s combined transport (rail-road) arm, Ederlog Multimodal, was selected to set up a rail freight service in partnership with SNCF, connecting Hendaye-Bayonne and Lyon,” the Groupe explained.
The Hendaye hub
From its multi-modal hub in Hendaye, which is connected to the rail network, Mendy said it transports all types of unaccompanied freight in full or part loads onto wagons and swap bodies and ships them by full train or groupage to destinations in France and Europe. The range of verticals includes retail, industrial, steel and construction, dangerous goods and luxury products, the latter being shipped in unmarked containers as a security measure to avoid being a prime target for thieves.
Four main routes are served with multiple weekly departures: northern France, Paris, Belgium and the Netherlands, and Germany and Poland. Last year, Ederlog joined the Rail Route Connect (2RC) network, a grouping of road hauliers, logistics companies and Fret SNCF, which aims to offer shippers low-carbon freight transport solutions.
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